In a recent report, The Sun claimed that Aston Villa are working on a loan deal for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire. It has been stated that the Villans could face competition in the form of Newcastle United in the race to the English centre-half this summer.
Maguire’s Lack Of Game Time In English Football This Season
Maguire has failed to make himself a regular starter at the Mancunian club as he has often found himself behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof in Erik ten Hag’s pecking order. The 30-year-old has been involved in 31 matches for the Red Devils this season across multiple competitions.
The English talent has made most of his appearances off the bench but deserves a pat on the back for averaging 0.5 tackles, 0.8 key passes and 2.6 clearances per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He has even been accurate when distributing the ball from the back after completing 85.4% of his attempted passes in the English top flight (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Mancunian club is set to expire in the summer of 2025. Thus, it makes sense for the Villans to try and arrange a loan move for him during the summer transfer period.
Should Aston Villa Boss Unai Emery Move In For Maguire This Summer?
Maguire can spot the danger well to secure possession back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t hesitate to put his foot through the ball when needed and can use his strong 1.94m frame to win some aerial duels at the back.
The England international is also proficient at playing his way out from inside his half. However, he can sometimes lack the pace to make recovering runs when caught out of position.
Maguire will inject more bite and steel into Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery’s defence. He might even help the Villans push for a European spot in the Premier League next season.
Thus, the West Midlands club should focus on moving in for Maguire this summer and securing his services either on a loan deal or on a permanent basis. However, at 30, he has only got a handful of years left in him at the highest level which makes him a short-term fix to Emery’s defensive problems at Villa Park.
